10 Questions with GusGus

GusGus have just released what could be their best album to date. The newly reunited band have come up with "Arabian Horse"; the perfect combination of Dance, Trance, and Pop, and we aren't the only ones who think so. Everything Is Chemical not only had some wonderful things to say about the album, but also found some time to sit down with band members Biggi and Viera to ask them some personal questions.

Hello, how are you?

Just fine thank you.

What are you currently listening to?

PJ Harvey's "Let England Shake" (Island Records) and Robag Wruhme’s mix CD "Wuppdeckmischmampflow".

Can you tell us a little bit about the theme behind "Arabian Horse"?

Tears on my pillow, stones in my heart. The beauty in the human gutter. Cords that tear up your heart and circle riding in the desert of ideologies.

To me it feels like one of your most personal releases since you first began, where does it rank in your catalog for you personally?

It is the best Gusgus album so far. But then you might expect that answer. All albums are of some extent move from the albums before into some realm that one wants to explore. On "24/7" we moved from girly housy stuff into darker bass dominant territory. On "Arabian Horse" the emphases on bass lines was dropped and the starting point where cords arrangements or arpeggios. To be honest tears are tangled with most cord movements so I guess one could state that this album is quite personal.

Will you be touring North America with said release?

Hopefully, but no promises.

Do you guys ever write songs based off of lyrics/words, or do most of your songs begin from jam sessions?

Well, in 90’s we mostly worked from demos containing vocal and acoustic guitar. But after the drastic change in the band in the year 2000 we have mostly worked from demos of either some cord arrangement or bass arrangement. There have been some exceptions like 'Moss', 'Call Of The Wild' and 'On The Job'. Sometimes we start out with some instrumental backbone but when the vocal has emerged alterations on the spine are sometimes drastic.

Do you guys have any side projects we should know about?

I have been producing Earth’s (our female vocalist) solo album with our friend Oculus. There should be some releases in the summer from that project. President Bongo has his Gluteus Maximus project and is also starting some experiments with Högni (the singer in 'Wtihin You, Deep Inside' and 'When Your Lovers Gone'). Daníel just released his second solo album called “The Drift”.

Who do you think is the most underrated musician out there currently?

Not sure, we could rank higher though.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?

As you are describing the aim of our production you can guess the answer.

Are you living your dream?

Aren't we all living in a dream, zombies parting from the now. I guess I'm in mine.

Thanx Biggi & Veira!